4pm Ground drying out for Royal Ascot

Will Hayler: Further rain is forecast to reach Ascot in the next 48 hours, but a second dry day has served as a useful reminder as to just how quickly the track - and particularly the straight course - can dry out.

Having been soft, with heavy places on parts of the round course, conditions have improved to good to soft with soft places on the round course and fears of testing conditions for next week's meeting appear to have eased.

"Having had 55mm of rain between Sunday night and Tuesday morning, it was very wet, but the course has dried out well since then," said clerk of the course Chris Stickels.

"We've got a nice wind blowing across the course today and that is helping to take some of the moisture out. There are varying forecasts as to what might arrive tonight, but most suggest around 7-8mm of rain with further blustery showers going into the weekend. That could lead to up to 20mm of rain between now and the end of the weekend but there are no worries on that front.

"The forecast suggests things will improve over the course of next week, so even if conditions are on the easy side for the start of the meeting, the turf really does dry very quickly at this time of the year we could end up on good ground by the end of the meeting."

2.30pm Caviar rock-hard fit for Ascot assignment

Will Hayler: The annual Ascot press conference to promote the international runners at next week's Royal meeting predictably turned into the Black Caviar show, but proved an informative affair nonetheless.

Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody missed some of the fuss by deciding to fly into London on Thursday evening, but Hong Kong raiders Joy And Fun and Little Bridge were both confirmed on course for Tuesday's King's Stand Stakes, along with Aussie Ortensia and the Bahraini-trained Krypton Factor, who tackles Black Caviar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

However, as well as those represented at the conference up to three further American runners may turn up next week, despite the decision of Wesley Ward not to send the team he was lining up on account of the easing ground and variable weather forecast.

The Chad Brown-trained pair, Big Blue Kitten (Prince of Wales's Stakes) and Hyper (Wolferton Stakes), currently based with Jim Boyle in Epsom, are both intended runners for owner and Royal Ascot regular Ken Ramsey, while Fully Living may represent Kenny McPeek in the Albany Stakes if the trainer can find a plane – a planned flight from Atlanta to Stansted on Sunday has been cancelled.

Interestingly, another American-trained two-year-old filly, Allaboutcaroline, is reportedly being considered for a tilt at the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting.

Despite stepping out before 5am, a crowd of nearly 100 press, photographers and broadcasters were on hand to record another gentle stretch for Black Caviar along the Al Bahathri all-weather gallop.

Jeff O'Connor, Moody's racing manager, said he doubted whether Black Caviar would need a proper gallop before next Saturday's race, although stressed that Moody would make the decision in the next couple of days.

"If she does, she'll probably work Tuesday or Wednesday, but she's rock-hard fit," he said. "The boys have done an outstanding job and she'll be 100 per cent ready on raceday. If she gets beaten, she gets beaten, but we're not here to be beaten – that's for sure."

Thursday's best bets, by Will Hayler

As you read this, three-quarters of the Guardian racing desk will be in Newmarket attending the press conference to introduce the connections of some of the international challengers at Royal Ascot next week.

I read someone describing 'yet another media junket' earlier this week, but for me it will involve a 5am start, lots of caffeine and a seven-hour round trip just to try and learn something about the likes or Ortensia, Krypton Factor, Joy And Fun and Little Bridge. Oh and that other Australian too. I forget her name. Admittedly, there was a swanky dinner on Wednesday night, but I couldn't have gone even if I had been invited due to babysitting duties.

What the international runners will make of the likelihood of testing conditions is sure to be a popular topic for discussion.

If energy and traffic permits, I'll call in at Nottingham on the way home, hopefully in time to see York Glory (4.10) confirm his place in the line-up for the Wokingham on Saturday week.

It's touch and go whether he will make the cut for the final field of 30, so Kevin Ryan has opted to try and eliminate the risk by going for a 5lb penalty with victory here.

He emerged with plenty of credit from his latest start in the Dash at Epsom when beaten only a couple of lengths despite being isolated throughout up the middle of the track.

Graham Lee has struck up a successful relationship with Ryan since turning his attentions to the Flat and gets the call-up here with stable jockey Phil Makin at Leopardstown to partner Inetrobil in a Group Three.

Godolphin may well struggle for winners at Royal Ascot next week, but both Newmarket yards are already off the mark with their juveniles this year and it was at about this time last season that things moved up a gear.

Sheikh Mohammed likes to have a few decent arrows to throw at the two-year-old races at Newmarket's July meeting and I expect to see a few possible types appearing in the next week or two.

Corn Snow (2.00) has potential on pedigree, as does Filfil (7.20) later on at Haydock. But it's earlier on that card that I am focussing with my best bet, old friend Amir Pasha (6.50).

Maybe I've lost the plot putting up a seven-year-old well beaten in all three Flat starts this year, but a couple of spins over hurdles suggest there is still a fire burning within and it's hard not to like the change of jockey from an apprentice yet to ride a winner from nine rides to the accomplished Shane B Kelly, a 5lb-claimer well worth his allowance.

Add in the fact that Amir Pasha has finished second to well-treated winners in the last two runnings of this contest and I've got the scent of a plot on my nostrils.

Tipping competition, day four

23skidoo* is having some week, building on his earlier excellent work with St Ignatius (8-1) yesterday. That helped him retain a narrow lead, despite the fact that Toptrapper had that winner and Sarah Berry (28-1), also dug out from somewhere by chiefhk. Diegoisgod had St Ignatius and Maybeme (4-1).

This week's prize is a copy of The Smiling Pioneer, Robin Oakley's biography of Clive Brittain, "universally acknowledged as the nicest man in horseracing", according to this press release. Brittain is not so widely respected as he once was but Oakley points out that he "was the first trainer to have 100 horses on Newmarket Heath and the first at racing's Headquarters to install an equine swimming pool. He was the first British trainer to succeed in the Breeders' Cup in America with Pebbles and the first to win the Japan Cup". You can buy copies here.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be thetipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominatedraces, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not yet joined in, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -9.